Dear readers,
This week, at a time when we are thinking about choosing gifts for Mother’s Day and a few days after Earth Day, I wanted to talk to you about the reasons for buying diamonds.
In a special edition of the French magazine Marie-Claire, last December entitled ‘Our planet, our challenge,’ I read an interview with Gabriela Hearst, artistic director of the fashion and luxury design house Chloé. I thought you might like to read what she said: “People buy [our clothes] out of desire, they want beauty. But now, they also want integrity, they ask questions about manufacturing, they expect more transparency. People don’t want to feel guilty about what they buy.”
The question of guilt is indeed key. This statement by Gabriela Hearst, which applies to a product – garments – and to a luxury design house, is just as valid for our own luxury product: diamonds. Of course, there are differences in the sector, the raw materials, and the manufacturing process. But the reason for buying is the same: the desire to buy something beautiful. Today, luxury must go beyond this first reason and if, in any way, the reason for buying is tinged with a hint of guilt, it will gradually subside.
In terms of sustainable development, social action, respect for the planet and the environment, diamonds tick a lot of boxes: they are not mass-produced, natural diamonds come from the earth, they make a huge contribution to the economy of producing countries, cutting and polishing them is a craft that perpetuates an age-old skill and diamonds are neither perishable nor disposable… Now, more than ever, buying or gifting a diamond is something that must convey joy and meaning. We need to do everything we can to ensure that these feelings prevail! We need to ensure that we sell diamonds that are trying to achieve a zero-carbon footprint or that embrace the principles of the circular economy… Basically, we need to sell diamonds that make us feel good without hurting our planet! Or better yet, diamonds that do good all around them.
To finish on an amusing note: the color green is trending (check out social media!), and we would like to bet that the very rare green diamonds could become all the rage under the influence of Jennifer Lopez, who is (once again) wearing an engagement ring adorned with an exceptional fancy diamond. What a wonderful way of reminding us of the beauty and rarity of colored diamonds.
Happy reading and enjoy you week.
Source Rubel & Ménasché
